Barack Obama and the Prius

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl7vk @ Nov 10 2006, 10:55 PM) [snapback]347336[/snapback]</div>

sl7vk,
Nicely put!!!

Myself, I have been barely satisfied with the big 3 for years. For years I have purchased Ford, Chevy, Olds, Chrysler vehicles. However, times are changing and they need to adapt or they will be overtaken. Did any of the Big three make a comparable car as the PRIUS, no they went right to making an SUV hybrid that I did not want. Thus, I bought the PRIUS. And yes, even Honda could not impress me with the Civic or the Accord hybrid. Would the GM EV1 be bought today by the American public?

My sympathy does not extend to the big three because they get more attention then they deserve. The main reason that Politicians talk about the big three is that they get indirect money from endorsing such industries. Hum, is that why we have all these Lobbyist in Washington working for the Big 3? Where do you think these Politicians get their campaign money?

Why do the Politicians not support the AMERICAN small business owners and talk about PROPPING the small business owners a little more?
What about the local independent groceries?
Hey, I know some hard working students who get paid just above minimum wage that would love some propping up. What about them?
IT IS BECAUSE THESE GROUPS DO NOT HAVE THE KIND OF MONEY THAT THE BIG THREE CONTRIBUTE TO THESE POLITICIANS.

Let them talk about propping the American companies like Tesla that are trying to give the consumers the choice of reducing oil dependency and performance. Let’s help them get the sticker price of this all electric car down to an affordable price and then mass roduce these babies!!! I’d be willing to drop $40,000 for an all electric car with an acceleration of 0 – 60mph in less than 4 seconds and a range of 250 miles.
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/20/tesla-r...n-santa-monica/
http://www.teslamotors.com

I’ve already ask Toyota to put me on a waiting list for their yet to be made all electric car, but they tell me they don’t have a list.

Which ever company can get a performance all electric car down to the $40,000 mark will get my check today!!! AMERICA, here is our chance to show the world what you can do.

 

Oh this is fun. I'll get to all of your points, one poster at a time. QUEUE UP!

I'm, what's the word, confounded (yeah, that'll do) that people on a Prius website can be so close-minded to anyone who has a differing opinion. I thought you all were progressive, social-experimenters who want their calls for a cleaner environment heard? Well, hear me. Listening goes both ways.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(livelychick @ Nov 10 2006, 05:19 PM) [snapback]347177[/snapback]</div>

You, kind lady, mustn't take everything you read so seriously, and then get riled up over your own interpretation of what I typed. My signature quote is from a Dodge Charger ad. I found it funny, and semi-on-topic for a hybrid car forum, so I slapped it in there. I suppose your personalities have somehow gotten so embittered that you don't allow yourself to see the humor in such minor musings.

As for this "foreign oil" buisness, I don't buy gasoline from companies that get oil from the mideast. Conoco and Sunoco, among others, get their oil from this Hemisphere, so I feel fine about pumping that into my gasoline only car. Do you only buy gasoline from companies that get all or a majority of their oil from Canada, Alaska, and the Gulf?

I came here because the technology behind hybrids intrigues me, and I thought that owners of such controversial vehicles would be open-minded, welcoming folks. Perhaps, with kind words, convince the skeptical: unfortunately for the Prius-preachers, I did not encounter such pleasantries.

In fact, the sentiment on here has gotten me so saddened by the mindset of my fellow Americans, that I've changed all my future buying lists to U.S. only brands and U.S. only factories. Shame, your extremism caused me to be a reactionary-extremist.

That's cute. Calling someone slow is so high-brow, I'm sure. I happen not to be slow. I graduated High School with highest honors and graduated from, gasp, a liberal Ivy League University in the Northeast.

And thanks for telling me that the U.S. automakers don't care for the environment. Tell me, what sort of fuel economy is a Toyota Sequoia getting these days? OH, 17 highway you say? That's lovely. Toyota would have to sell many more Priuses than it can possibly build in order to make up for the millions of Sequoias and Land Cruisers and and Tacomas and Tundras and 4Runners and FJ Cruisers and Lexus GXs and LXs that are chugging down the gasoline and spewing out their emissions in the great Detroit tradition. Some environmental commitment Toyota has going. I'm glad you bought into their propaganda, just as planned.

And which U.S. factory got a Gold certification in the LEED program? Oh yes, GM's Lansing Michigan plant. You can read all about it on THIS very site!: http://priuschat.com/index.php?act=ST&f=24&t=23087
No Toyota plant had received one. But I forgot, they care about the environment, so that must have been an over-site on the Green Building Council's part.

I'm not myopic. I realize certain American-branded vehicles could stand to get higher fuel-economy ratings, and it frustrates me that they don't. But I also realize that Toyota and others aren't the environmental crusaders that their loyalists were goaded into believing.

Though I don't feel like I should do the defensive thing and explain myself, I will say this: I'm very pro-environment. I'm a registered Independent that votes Democrat nearly every time. I turn all the lights off except for what is absolutely necessary. I don't litter. I recycle everything that is recyclable. I'd buy a mild hybrid from GM, even. I think that the manufacture of a full-hybrid may have too many toxic side-effects that no one seems to want to address. Exotic metals, battery components, special plastics...they have to have some environmental-implication. And until I see Toyota's hybrid plants getting environmental awards or some other sort of reassurance as to the low-environmental impact of the manufacture of full-hybrid-components, I'll continue to be wary.

And to your point: just because this is a Prius site, doesn't mean I should have expected widespread anti-Big 3 sentiments. Maybe some of you bought it for its technology, others because they thought it was a sound environmental choice, and yet still others for image, and image alone. None of that would expressly or implicitly denote a condemnation of the Detroit manufacturers.

And I did look at consumer reports: plenty of recommended American cars. And look at that, the U.S.-built Tahoe had the "highest projected reliability." Fancy that.

Oh, and that very Tahoe can also run on corn AND four-cylinders. Can the Sequoia do that? It can't?? But Toyota is SO pro-environment!

And finally, toward American cars and their reliability: Toyota recalled more cars this year than any other manufacturer. Even the Prius was recalled for steering failure. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13046349/

http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/othe...thcare_dilemma/

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=7749

As of last year, at least, GM and Ford alone were responsible for the health care of 1.6 million people.

I'll post more information as I find it.

Edit: GM is still paying for this World War I veteran's healthcare, and he hasn't worked for the company since the Eisenhower administration: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061110/ap_on_...d_war_i_veteran


Thanks for reading!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(joe hybrid @ Nov 10 2006, 09:27 PM) [snapback]347288[/snapback]</div>

You must have been writing this post while looking in a mirror. Like you really want God to bless me. Puh-leeze. And btw, her name was Broaddrick, and she said UNDER OATH that nothing had happened.

I have not called you one name. I said you needed to get back on your meds and that you were deplorable; this last post of yours reinforced that.

I love good debate and differing opinions; my best friend is a neo-con. Your "rape" allegation is what pissed me off, not your difference of opinion.

And trust me---I know how rape affects a life, and you can't POSSIBLY know. So on the subject of rape in any form, shut the F up. Excuse me...my JUSTIFIED emotions are coming out again.

 

This thread took an all-too-real turn.